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Special Procedures for Ships Arriving from Areas with Flighted 

Spongy Moth Complex (FSMC)

Purpose

This guidance provides information for ships arriving in the continental United 

States after being in areas with a high risk for FSMC (Lymantria dispar

asiatica, L. d. japonica, L. umbrosa, L. albescens and L. postalba) infestation. 

It identifies the policy, obligations of shippers, and what to expect upon arrival 

at a United States port.

Policy

The Plant Protection Act grants the authority to prevent entry of high-risk 

vessels and to order infested ships to leave U.S. waters. [Title IV-Plant 

Protection Act, 7 U.S.C. 7701, Subtitle A, Section 411 (a)]. The Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine 

(PPQ) requests that ships obtain a certification that they are free from FSMC

prior to departure from the FSMC high-risk area during PPQ-designated 

specified risk periods. If a pest is found, U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the authority to order a 

ship to leave United States waters to resolve the situation.

Ships without certification will receive a FSMC inspection at all U.S. ports on 

each voyage when itinerary suggests a FSMC risk and may face significant 

delays. Additionally, if CBP detects FSMC on a ship, CBP may not allow the 

ship entry into the United States or the ship may not be allowed to load or 

unload cargo.

Your Obligations

You are responsible for the following:

Certificates

You (ship’s agent) should obtain a certificate documenting that an approved 

certification body inspected and found the ship free of FSMC. The certificate 

is requested if the vessel called on a port in a high-risk area listed in Table 1

during PPQ-designated high-risk periods over the last 24 months. Table 2

lists approved certifiers in the FSMC high-risk area. You must allow CBP to 

conduct FSMC inspections of the vessel if CBP determines it is necessary. 

You must comply with the CBP’s instructions to mitigate risk of the 

introduction of FSMC into the United States.
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The female adult FSMC lays eggs primarily during June through October in 

Far East Russia and northern Japan; from May through August in central and 

southern Japan; and from June through mid-September in South Korea and 

northern China (including all ports on or north of 31° 15' N latitude, north of 

Shanghai). Attracted by the lights on ships, the females may lay eggs on the 

superstructure and elsewhere.

Refer to Table 1 to determine times when you should obtain a certificate from 

FSMC regulated countries.

Table 1. Regulated Areas and Specified Risk Periods

Country SRP Region Prefecture 2021 SRP Revised 

SRP (2022)

Japan Northern

Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, 

Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, 

Fukushima

July 1 – 

September 

30

June 15 – 

October 15

Japan Western (2021) 

Central (2022) Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa

June 25 – 

September 

15

June 1 – 

September 

30

Japan Eastern (2021) 

Central (2022)

Fukui, Ibaraki, Chiba, 

Tokyo, Kanagawa, 

Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie

June 20- 

August 20

June 1 – 

September 

30

Japan Southern

Wakayama, Osaka, Kyoto, 

Hyogo, Tottori, Shimane, 

Okayama, Hiroshima, 

Yamaguchi, Kagawa, 

Tokushima, Ehime, Kochi, 

Fukuoka, Oita, Saga, 

Nagasaki, Miyazaki, 

Kumamoto, Kagoshima

June 1 – 

August 10

May 15 – 

August 31

Far southern Okinawa May 25 – 

June 30

May 25 – 

June 30 

(no change)

Russia Far east N/A

July 1 – 

September 

30

June 15 – 

October 15

China On or north of 31o 

15’N latitude N/A

June 1 – 

September 

30

June 1 –

September 

30 (no 

change)

Republic of 

Korea All areas N/A

June 1 – 

September 

30

June 1 – 

September 

30 (no 

change)
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Table 2. Approved Certifiers in FSMC High-risk Area

Region of Port Certifiers

Far East Russian ports Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary 

Surveillance of the Russian Federation

South Korea International Plant Quarantine Accreditation Board (IPAB)

China China Certification and Inspection Group, LTD

Japan  All Nippon Checkers Corporation (ANCC)  Hokkaido 

Bouekikunjyo Co., LTD (HBKC)

 Hokuriku Port Service Co., Ltd. (HPS)

 Intertek Testing Services (Australia) Pty Limited (Pty 

Ltd)

 Japan Cargo Tally Corporation (JCTC)

 Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center Co., Ltd. 

(JEVIC)

 Japan Grain Inspection Association (JGIA)

 Kanto Fumigation Co., Ltd (KFCO)

 Keiyochiku Plant Quarantine Association (KPQA)

 Kobe Plant Quarantine Association (KOBEPQA)

 Kyoritsu Sanitary Co., Ltd. (KRS)

 Muroran & Tomakomai Plant Quarantine Association 

(MTPQA)

 NAVREX & Corporation (NRX)

 Nikkun Co., Ltd (NCL)

 Nippon Kaiji Kentei Kyokai (NKKK)

 Okayama-Ken Plant Quarantine Association (OKYPQA)

 Osaka Plant Quarantine Association (OPQA)

 Osaka Timber Quarantine Association (OSKTQA)

 Shin Nihon Kentei Kyokai (SNKK)

 Techno Kasei Co., Ltd. (TKL)

 Tokai Plant Quarantine Association (TOKAIPQA)

 Tokyo Plant Quarantine Association (TPQA)

 Yokohama Plant Protection Association (YPPA

Notifications

Vessels are required to provide a mandatory advanced notification of arrival. 

Incoming vessels must inform port CBP officials of intent to arrive at least 96 

hours in advance of entry into U.S. waters. 
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What to Expect

CBP will determine which ships they will board on arrival for FSMC

inspection; which vessels require normal, non-FSMC boarding procedures; and 

which ships should be excluded entry.

Vessels can expect to receive the following enforcement monitoring actions:

 Non-certified vessels: will receive a FSMC inspection at all U.S. ports on 

each voyage when itinerary suggests FSMC risk

 Certified vessels: certificates along with additional research are to be used 

for risk assessment to determine need for inspection

 If FSMC is suspected on a vessel, re-inspections at subsequent ports will 

occur

 If excessive suspect FSMC is detected, vessels are subject to receive 

removal orders and be removed from port

Certified

A vessel requesting to arrive in the United States and having visited a FSMC

high-risk area in the previous or current season, during FSMC high-risk 

periods, and having been issued a predeparture FSMC inspection certificate 

from an approved entity in Russia, China, South Korea or Japan.

Non-certified

A vessel requesting arrival in the United States that did not receive a predeparture 

FSMC inspection during the most recent voyage to a FSMC high-risk area and

does not have a FSMC inspection certificate having visited a FSMC high-risk 

area in the most recent voyage, whether this season or dating back to the previous 

season’s high-risk flight period.

Risk factors considered by CBP

 Vessel called on high-risk ports during designated FSMC high-risk 

periods during the current or previous year. APHIS uses a 24-month 

history to help assess likelihood of egg viability.

 Reports or observations that indicate FSMC may be present

 Not receiving a predeparture FSMC inspection during the most recent 

voyage to a high-risk area

 Not having a inspection certificate after being in a high-risk area on the most 

recent voyage.

Ships entering Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will not 

be excluded but may be inspected for FSMC if the ship’s schedule includes 

subsequent continental U.S. ports of call.
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FSMC Inspection

If CBP determines that a FSMC inspection is needed, the Agricultural Specialist

will request to board the vessel. The Agricultural Specialist will search for egg 

masses, larvae, pupae, or adult moths. This is a visual inspection that includes the 

whole ship. Agricultural Specialists will look:

 In sheltered locations

 In crevices or cavities

 Under tarps 

 Behind walls and doors 

 Around light fixtures

 Underneath the hold rims 

 And anywhere else that FSMC might lay eggs

Figure 1. FSMC Egg Masses on Blue Nylon Rope. (Figure 1 is a photograph of 

FSMC egg masses aboard a ship. The egg masses appear as brown fuzz on the 

blue nylon rope.)
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Figure 2. FSMC Eggs Found Between Two Bays on a Support Beam Near a Cargo 

Hold Opening (Figure 2 illustrates FSMC eggs found between two bays on a 

support beam near a cargo hold opening.) 

If the Agricultural Specialist identifies eggs, larvae, pupae, or adult moths, they 

will collect the suspects, and the area will be treated. They will send the suspect 

FSMC for identification. The Agricultural Specialist will determine the 

appropriate action based on the identification and the level of infestation. 

If suspect FSMC are found, CBP will notify the captain that a serious plant pest 

has been detected and the vessel may be re-boarded if FSMC is confirmed. The 

vessel may be instructed to leave U.S. waters for decontamination prior to reentering or beginning operations at any U.S. port. The Agricultural Specialist 

will determine if the ship must leave U.S. waters to be decontaminated, based 

on the level of infestation and the ability to mitigate the risk of introduction of 

FSMC at the port.

Upon conclusion to remove a vessel from U.S. territorial waters, PPQ Form 523, 

Emergency Action Notification will be issued. Any additional CBP forms will 

be issued as required by CBP policies and procedures. The captain will be asked 

to prepare for and execute an immediate departure. The notification will instruct 

the ship’s agent to immediately call out necessary tugs, linesmen, and pilots for 

the ship’s departure. The only actions allowed are those that make the ship 

seaworthy, such as bunkering. 
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Ships may request reentry to a U.S. port of entry when they give CBP 

assurances that all egg masses are removed or disposed of properly.

During re-inspection, any subsequent suspect FSMC found will result in additional 

pest prevention action. These actions will result in costly delays and further 

detection of potential FSMC presence may lead to denying entry into the United 

States.

Returning to Port for Re-inspection

CBP will instruct the vessel on a time and place where re-inspection will occur. 

This may be to a designated remote location or instream. Further detection of viable 

suspect FSMC life stages will require additional action resulting in continued 

costly delays and intensive pest control actions.

Upon re-inspection, if additional viable suspect FSMC life stages are detected, 

the vessel will be required to employ a pest control company capable of handling 

large commercial assignments. The commercial company shall fully inspect and 

certify freedom from all FSMC life forms. Under normal circumstances this 

action should take place outside of U.S. territorial waters. If safeguarding, 

weather and/or safety must be considered, remedial measures must be deployed 

to minimize potential pest risks.

Background

FSMC, Lymantria dispar and other Lymantrid species, from high-risk areas 

including Far East Russian, Chinese, South Korean, and Japanese ports where 

FSMC populations are at high densities may infest ships and be transported to the 

United States. Inspection and exclusion of infested ships will prevent the spread 

of FSMC.

The FSMC displays significant behavioral differences compared to the spongy 

moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) found in the United States. The female FSMC is 

an active flier that is attracted to lights, and capable of flying up to 25 miles. 

FSMC larvae have a broader host range and feed on larch and other conifers as 

well as on alder and willow. Oaks and other hardwood species are also acceptable 

hosts. Female adults die after laying eggs.